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The United Nations' atomic agency announced on Monday that it was sending equipment to Brazil to protect against terrorist attacks employing nuclear material during this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The International Atomic Energy agency said it would loan several types of radiation detection equipment - including personal radiation detectors and portable scanners - for the games in August and September.

Fears have increased following the attacks in Brussels, and claims that the brothers at the heart of the plot had tried to obtain nuclear materials.

Experts say that although stealing and detonating a nuclear weapon is highly unlikely, a small amount of radioactive material could be combined with explosives to make a dirty bomb – capable of contaminating a wide area - or sufficient material could be fashioned into a crude vehicle-borne atomic weapon.

Ben Rhodes, Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said during the summit: “We have seen ample proof that terrorist organisations like Isil have no regard for innocent human life or international norms, and that only redoubles the need for us to have effective international nuclear security approaches.”

The Vienna-based IAEA has provided nuclear security during the previous three football World Cups, including Brazil in 2014.

“The IAEA, upon request and under the terms of the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, is also prepared to provide and/or facilitate assistance in the event of a nuclear or radiological emergency,” it said in a statement.